Ice Cream Man Power Pop and More! Albums of the year.

Last year, I chose just one record as album of the year and that was The Turnback - Drawn In Chalk, but then the blog had only been running a very short time, that made life very easy for me.  This year, however, is a little different, many bands and artists have sent me their albums and whilst I would love to feature every single one of them on this list, because they are all great, I have had to whittle it down to 30 or I would be here until next year!  I have discovered many great artists and I hope this continues in 2013.

This will be my last post for a while as I take a break over the holiday period, but I will be back next year with more great selections for you to sample.   

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the bands for their submissions to the blog and of course all the guests that have come and read the blog, I am amazed, and humbled, that each month nearly 8000 of you visit here and share the music with me.  Happy holidays to you all.

All links to the albums and contact details for the bands can be found within the blog using the search facility in the top left hand corner of this page.  Enjoy!

30)  The Joy Of Painting - Asterix

29) The Electric Mess - Falling Off The Face Of the Earth

28) Mr Day - Dry Up In The Sun

27)  The Clocktower -  Days Of Rosey Row

26)  Chris Richards and The Subtractions - Get Yer La La's out

25)  Paradise - Diary Of An Old Soul

24) Mark Crozer and The Rels - Self Titled

23) The Kaams - Uwaga!

22) The Ace - Next Time Around

21) The Frinchers - Table You Forever

20) Past Tense - Take Three

19)The Condors -3 Item Combo

      From the bands 2nd album, unfortunately there are no 

tracks to embed from this most recent one.........

18) The Bidons - Granma Killer!

17) Ruby Free - Introducing Ruby Free

16) Los Immediatos - 4 Tickets To Wonderland

15) Electric Stars - Sonic Candy Soul

14) Eytan Mirsky - Year Of The Mouse

13) The Seasongs - Out of the City

12) Marty Graveyard - Summer Holiday

11) The Sharks - Leave Me Alone (and other EP's)

(Whilst not technically an album, the bands output this year amounts to more than an albums worth of great music and I really didn't feel I could leave them off this list!)

THE TOP TEN *

10) Los Autonautas - Lo Que Quiero 

Great band, claim they come from "Rhea" (13th Moon of Jupiter), they certainly sound out of this world. Love at first listen!

9) Budokan - Spin A Little Gold

Pure Power Pop with a seventies feel, this one will keep you rocking until next Christmas.....and the one after that and the one after................................

8) The Jac - Faux Pas

"The Jac" is a one man band and that man is Joe Algeri, member of Jack and The Beanstalk and The Brittanicas, a man who not only has an ear for a blinding tune, or eleven in this case, but he also has a pretty cool sense of humour too.

"Faux Pas" is a wonderful blend of Power Pop, New Wave, 60's and a dash of punk, music with no boundaries, plenty of humour and a little weirdness too, how refreshing that is!

7) Trolley - Things That Shine And Glow

With echoes of The Beach Boys and The Jam amongst others, this infectious album had to be included in the top ten and I should imagine it shall be gracing many more year end lists, can't wait to hear more from them.

6) Phenomenal Cat - Postcards From The British Empire

Phenomenal Cat have been a mainstay on the blog for virtually the whole year, they have written this album one song at a time, one a month to make up the album, they have released the songs as free downloads on bandcamp (or Name Your Price) and every single one of them has had single potential.  

I am really going to miss the monthly release from these guys, but it is great to have the complete album as I think you will agree.

5) Gavin Guss - On High

When I first heard this, I was reminded of The Posies, well, Ken Stringfellow in particular, but the more I played it, the more I heard Gavin Guss' own individuality, this is a really lovely album with some beautiful, mellow songs sitting comfortably besides his more upbeat numbers.

4) Lannie Flowers - New Songs Old Stories

The cool cat in the hat, Lannie Flowers produces yet another dazzling nugget of Power Pop for our delight, a stomper from start to finish.

3) Kurt Baker - Brand New Beat

A man that really needs no introduction, the ever smiling and happy go lucky "geezer" that is Kurt Baker, making great Power Pop from the day he started making music.  "Brand New Beat" certainly continues his tradition of making catchy, upbeat and fun Power Pop!

2)  Surf School Dropouts - Summer Is A State Of Mind

If you like harmonies in the style of the 60's surf bands then Surf School Dropouts will most certainly grab your attention and what's more they will keep it too, without a shadow of a doubt, one of my best finds on Bandcamp.  Now signed to Sunny Day Records in Spain, I look forward to hearing much more from them in the future.

Stream the album and buy the album here Bandcamp

ANGEL KAPLAN - PICTURES FROM THE PAST

Since receiving this album and featuring it on the blog, I have found myself going back to it time and time again.  I first heard it back in the start of summer and it very quickly became my "summer album," it was perfect to listen to at the lakes, at the beach, on a plane, everywhere, it wasn't until the autumn dawned on us that I also realised that it was perfect for that season too and so on into winter.  I am so grateful I have a download of this album because there wouldn't be much of the vinyl left if I didn't, but to play it on vinyl is the ultimate listening experience.